Chronic Pain Management in an Aging Population: Current Challenges and Policy-Based Solutions

Abstract

Chronic pain in older adults is highly prevalent and often more complex to manage. Despite some recent successes in improving chronic pain management in this population, critical challenges and policy barriers remain: (1) healthcare professionals do not have enough training, education or experience; (2) treatments are too focused on biological causes of pain; (3) opioid regulations have had unintended consequences; (4) there are barriers to nonopioid and non-drug chronic pain treatments; and (5) age-related stigma and discrimination make it more difficult to detect and treat chronic pain. To more effectively assess and manage chronic pain in older adults, a comprehensive, bipartisan approach must include: (1) teaching healthcare professionals about chronic pain in older adults; (2) assessing and addressing chronic pain through a biopsychosocial lens, (3) improving implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for opioid use, (4) increasing access to nonopioid and non-drug chronic pain treatments, and (5) strengthening programs to reduce ageism.